ESPN: Eastern Conference Standings Predictions

[DG88]

Well ESPN continues their predictions for next season. Now they've just put out the predicted standings for the new season. So where do the Raptors stand.............................9th in the east

Toronto Raptors 39 43 .476 33 49 .402
If you have to be cruel to be kind, then our panel is killing Toronto with kindness. After Monday's prediction that Chris Bosh would depart in 2010, now our forecasters have the Raptors missing the playoffs by 0.1 wins (with an average prediction of 39.0 wins). We'll see if the addition of Hedo Turkoglu is the tonic in Toronto.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/stor ... tStandings
ESPN is really hating us aren't they, well I like being the underdog so when we do waaaay better than their predicted standing they can shove it way up their pompous arses.

[timdunkit]

Someone should put this on Bosh's twitter and tell him how much disrespect the Raptors are getting ... just a little extra motivation in the bag ...

[DG88]

Someone should put this on Bosh's twitter and tell him how much disrespect the Raptors are getting ... just a little extra motivation in the bag ...

Will do

[gigi]

F THEM! Cant wait to shock the NBA! How can we not be a good team! We r stacked!

[Garbo's Hair]

damn i hope the vegas over-under is 39 wins, I'd take that bet

[Major_9000]

Its clear to me now that ESPN loves to antagonize us, I'm sure there is an internal memo saying "piss off Raptor fans at any given chance". They must get a ton of hits everytime they do this.

[sexy_sam]

F espn, someone is clearly hating, n we dont need to visit their dumb website to give them more hits.

[C3SIUM]

Its clear to me now that ESPN loves to antagonize us, I'm sure there is an internal memo saying "piss off Raptor fans at any given chance". They must get a ton of hits everytime they do this.

I agree. But regardless, I like being the underdog too, we just have to show up and get the job done.
Can't wait!

[Legal Non-Conforming]

Any forecast that has Miami listed ahead of Toronto is mindless and stupid. Wade played out of his mind last year and they barely made .500. They have done absolutely nothing to improve the team, Beasley is a question mark, and Jermaine is one year older. And they are going to finish 5th in the East? No way, no how. I'm going to enjoy watching the ESPN crowd eat crow in 2009-10.

[kassian]

It's incredible to see how much the Sixers are overrated. Goes the same to Miami.

They lost their offensive main piece in Miller, and now stuck with the worst PG tandem in the NBA.

ESPN hates Canada, and it showed throughout many months now.

[Brinbe]

Its clear to me now that ESPN loves to antagonize us, I'm sure there is an internal memo saying "piss off Raptor fans at any given chance". They must get a ton of hits everytime they do this.

They're also guaranteed a lot of angry comments/e-mails, that's for sure.

And this ranking is understandable. They over-rated us last year, and clearly don't want to make that same mistake again, so they're under-rating us. But we're clearly a better team this year, as our depth alone is vastly improved.

So let's all just save this article for next spring when we can prove how foolish their "analysis" really is.

[raptor21_85]

Well...
It's on the players to prove they are wrong.

[sule]

I think we'Re easily better than Chicago and Philly. And I think we're more talented than Miami and have a more well-balanced team.

And I think while Miller and Foye are good additions to Washington, I think Arenas will negate most of the good they bring.

I expect us to be in competition with Atlanta for the 4/5 spot.

ESPN can kiss my a$$...I've almost entirely cut them off. And their website design is horrible...not at all conducive to someone who wants to get sports reports.

[dacrusha]

Around .500 is about right.

ESPN isn't homerific enough to predict 50 wins like most of this board.

[Fairview4Life]

This is good news! They said bad things before 06/07 and good things the last few years, for the most part.

[MattBoner]

wouldn't be surprised at all if Miami becomes the team they were before last season

then maybe we could help them out with a sign and trade for wade

[ColangeloIsGod]

Dumb Americans.

As for dacrusha, this is a 50+ win roster easily. We are a match-up nightmare for every team in the league and are two deep at every position.

If this team wins less than 50 games I will never return to RealGM.

[TdotO]

dacrusha I really don't see how ".500 is about right"...unless that is your attempt at trying to be a realist, even though everyone knows you're a pessimist.

Bottom line is that ESPN severely under-rated us, and while that is fine, people like you and all those at ESPN are going to be eating crow when the Raptors blow by any of these so called "realist" views

[223red]

Its clear to me now that ESPN loves to antagonize us, I'm sure there is an internal memo saying "piss off Raptor fans at any given chance". They must get a ton of hits everytime they do this.

They're also guaranteed a lot of angry comments/e-mails, that's for sure.

I suspect they knew that by ranking Raps out of the playoffs they'd generate heat and therefore site traffic. Easy pickings.

[SharoneWright]

If this team wins less than 50 games I will never return to RealGM.

for real?